8 Bit vs 32 Bit 3D Printer

Each year, the best 3D printers become more widely available to the general consumer. But choosing the best printer can be difficult, as there are a lot of terms to familiarize oneself with before purchasing. Below, we’ll discuss the differences between an 8 Bit vs 32-bit 3D printer and their strengths and weaknesses to help you select the best possible option.

Feel free to look through some of our other 3D-printer-related content as well. For example, we have a buying guide on the best industrial 3D printers available today, and plenty of model comparisons, like SKR E3 Turbo vs SKR Mini E3 V2.

3D Printers: 8-Bit vs 32-Bit

3D printers are highly technical devices, and they use a control board to communicate the design within the computer software to the mechanical parts that create objects. These control boards come in various RAM capacities, determining their processing speed, file size handling, and print resolution.

With any 3D printing device, you’ll have a control board that acts as the brain of the operation. Therefore, depending on what you plan to print, choosing what size brain you need is critical.

If you like this article and want to keep reading, we have articles that compare similar machining devices, like CNC vs 3D printing. And for a more technical look into the materials that go into 3D printing, we have one on 3MM vs 1.75 MM 3D printing filament.

Processing Speed

A 32-bit motherboard is typically found on larger industrial and modern high-end consumer devices. On the other hand, 8-bit processors are usually found on older machines. In comparison, industrial printers have larger processors because they can translate the program faster, resulting in quicker print performance.

However, if you don’t plan on printing in mass production and are just starting in 3D printing, you may not need all the power that 32-bit processors offer.

Quality

Similar to processing speed, the greater the control board size, the better the overall print quality. A larger processor is better at handling complicated projects, whereas an 8-bit controller works fine for standard creations but might struggle to fully process a highly intricate 3D print model.

The reason is that the 32-bit control board processes quadruple the amount of data that an 8-bit processor can.

Price

Of course, the bigger the brain, the higher the price. It’s difficult to determine the exact cost effect of the individual component, but it’s safe to say that an 8-bit 3D printer will cost significantly less than a 32-bit processor.